The Mystic's Tale
by SweetHawthorn
Summary: My own take on what happened between Ardyn and his brother, Somnus. A prequel set in the days of the Founder King.
1. Chapter 1

1.

The boy, around four years of age, sobbed in the dark, all by himself. He hugged his knees and covered his face with his arms. The room, although large and regal, felt claustrophobic.

The door slowly swung open. 'Somnus,' an older boy with red hair entered the room, 'there you are.' His hands carried with him a large old book with gold lettering. Somnus did not so much as glance up. In fact, he buried his face even deeper into his arms. The older boy sat down beside him and placed one hand on his shoulder. 'Come now,' he said gently as he stroked Somnus's black hair.

Somnus mustered barely enough strength to shake his head.

'How about this,' the older boy proposed, 'once you finish this, we'll go Chocobo riding.' Somnus's sobbing stopped, but still he did not show his face.

'And... I'll help you too,' the redhead added.

Somnus gazed up at the other boy. 'You will...?' He croaked.

The redhead nodded and opened up the large book he was carrying. He flipped through the pages and pointed at one about one-third into the book. 'Is this the part you were tasked to read?'

The black-haired boy straightened his back and nodded.

'I'll tell you the gist of the story,' the redhead said, 'so you can pretend that you've read it. This'll be our little secret, ok?'

Somnus's eyes lit up as he waited for the older boy to begin his story. The boy cleared his throat before beginning, 'Once upon a time, the Infernian waged war against humankind when he deemed humans to be too arrogant for their own good. He razed down much of the Solheim civilization's most prized creations — those he deemed to be Solheim's proofs of arrogance. The other gods, however, were destined to protect the world and with it the Solheim civilization, even against their own kind. Thus the Great War of the Astrals began and ironically, destroyed whatever remains of the Solheim civilization that the Glacian, the Hydraean, the Fulgurian, the Archaean and the Draconian were sworn to protect.

'But nevertheless, the Infernian fell, and out of the ashes of the Great War, was the Starscourge. Nobody knew where it came from or anything about it other than the fact that it is a plague that turns humans into daemons, with no possible cure. In a last ditch effort to save the world, the remaining gods presented mankind with a Crystal to counter the Starscourge, so that one day, the Chosen King will be able to use the Crystal's powers and banish the plague once and for all.'

'By the "Crystal" did you mean the one in Father's chambers?' Somnus asked pointing to an illustration within the book.

'The very same,' the redhead replied.

'And... you are the Chosen King...?' He hesitantly asked again.

His brother let out a sigh before continuing, 'we're born into a royal line with much responsibilities. You'll understand someday.'

Before Somnus could reply, the door swung open for the second time. A regal looking woman stood at the doorway. She heaved a sigh of relief before kneeling in front of the two boys. 'Somnus. Ardyn.' She addressed the both of them before turning towards the younger boy, 'you really shouldn't run off in the middle of a lesson like that. Governess Ratchell was so worried.'

'Sorry, Mother,' Somnus murmured.

'Thank goodness Ardyn found you,' the Queen continued. 'You've so much to learn from your brother. Goodness, the Prince acting like a spoiled brat...'

Somnus lightly pouted.

'Can Somnus take a break from studying today, Mother?' Ardyn stepped in. 'I'm sure he didn't mean to make a fuss. He's just tired.'

The Queen looked at her eldest with kind adoring eyes. 'You're right. Let's continue this tomorrow.'

Somnus's gaze lingered on his mother and brother but the two seemed all too proud to care about him, and his heart sunk deeper.

... Clash.

The sound of wood changing against each other repeated a number of times. A teenaged Somnus panted as he swung his wooden sword at a teenaged Ardyn, but his brother easily parried his attack with his own wooden sword.

'Come now, Somnus,' Ardyn taunted, 'is that all you got?'

Again and again Somnus attacked his brother, but never did he seem to be able to catch Ardyn off guard. His black hair hung across his face, soaked, whilst Ardyn did not so much as break a sweat. He finally flung his sword down to the floor between him and his brother. 'This is a joke,' he muttered before turning away towards the door.'

'Hey, you're giving up?' Ardyn called out to him, but Somnus ignored him. 'You can't possibly be chickening out are you?'

Ardyn's last statement was Somnus's last straw. A flash of light zipped past the training room and in an instant, Somnus was hovering above Ardyn with a real sword buried deep in Ardyn's wooden one. Ardyn managed to block Somnus's blade warp with his dummy sword but it was on the verge of breaking. Still he managed to sneer at his little brother, 'you've finally gotten serious.' With a heave he pushed Somnus away from him, dummy sword still attached to his weapon, before summoning his own sword.

Somnus, however, was beyond reason. He lashed out at his brother the same way he did with the dummy sword, if not more ferocious. A red flush colored Somnus's face. Ardyn, however, welcomed the challenge. The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the air until...

Slash.

Ardyn's sword left a deep gash on Somnus's cheek and fresh blood began pouring out. Somnus touched his cheek and felt the warmth of the red liquid on his fingertips. He glared at Ardyn. Ardyn's eyes widened in shock and he put away his weapon. 'That's enough for today. Go get that treated.'

'No! I can still go on!' Somnus shouted, but this time, Ardyn had turned away from his brother. 'Don't walk out on me! Coward!' Somnus hollered as Ardyn walked out the door, leaving Somnus alone in the empty room.

...

Somnus sat on the rooftop overlooking the entire palace, one hand propping up a cloth against his bloody cheek.

'Why the long face, Prince?' A voice called out from behind. Somnus turned around to find a black-haired woman, clad in a black dress. She sat herself down beside Somnus.

'Gentiana,' Somnus acknowledged her presence.

'You didn't answer my question,' Gentiana continued, 'let me guess... it's got to do with your brother?'

Somnus scoffed. He remained quiet for a moment before murmuring, 'how'd you know?'

Gentiana smiled. 'Maybe you don't realize this, but every time your brother is mentioned, a frown forms on your face. Right here.' She pointed at her forehead, at the spot between her eyebrows.

Somnus scowled. 'If you're here, it means that the Oracle's here. What brought her to Izunia anyway?'

'A meeting with the King of Izunia,' Gentiana replied, 'on the many possible ways to deal with the lengthening of the night.'

Somnus looked away, and after a moment, he spoke up again, 'say, Gentiana. You're the Oracle's hand, right, so to speak?'

'Serving the Oracle is my highest pride and honor.' Gentiana replied.

'Can you speak to the gods?' Somnus asked again.

'No, I cannot,' Gentiana replied. 'Only the Oracle herself is granted that honor.'

'Then how do you know... how does everyone know that Ardyn is the Chosen King?' Somnus asked, his voice sounding more agitated than before.

'So says the Draconian, as told to the Oracle,' Gentiana replied.

Somnus shook his head. 'Forget it,' he said, 'everyone's always "Ardyn this, Ardyn that". All because he was prophesied to be the Chosen King. Even though nobody even knows how he's gonna rid the world of Starscourge in the first place.' He got up and turned to walk away.

'Do you not believe in the gods?' Gentiana asked, taking Somnus momentarily aback.

'I... I don't know...' he replied.

'Know this, Somnus,' Gentiana said, sounding sterner than she had in the past few minutes that she had been talking to Somnus. 'The gods have the power to change a person's destiny at their behest. Ardyn received their blessing and hence his destiny was ordained. Cross their paths, and you might walk down the opposite route.'

Somnus gritted his teeth before turning away, leaving Gentiana alone, her black robes swaying in the wind.

...

'The number of infected has risen significantly... and the nights are getting longer...' the man droned on and on, repeating what was already known multiple times. Somnus slouched a little further down his seat, earning him a quick reprimanding jab from Ardyn who sat beside him.

The King waved his hand, stopping the official reporting. 'Galen, I would like to hear your opinion on this matter,' he coughed as he turned towards the Oracle. Somnus straightened up a little at his Father's words.

'Forgive me Your Majesty, but even the Oracle has her limits,' Galen, the Oracle said. 'There's only so many people I can save, and the number of those infected by Starscourge has risen exponentially.'

The King sighed and for a moment, Somnus thought that he looked grizzlier than ever. 'Is it at all possible to quarantine those infected?' he asked, but with uncertainty in his tone.

'I'm afraid not, Your Majesty,' Galen said. 'Just as the daemons cannot be contained by walls, neither can the plague itself.'

'I want to see them for myself,' the King finally said. 'And I think it's best if my sons too come with me and see the situation.'

'But Your Majesty, I don't think this is wise, considering your health,' his adviser spoke up.

'My health shall not hinder my royal duties,' the King waved him off. 'Ardyn, Somnus, be ready first thing in the morning tomorrow.'

'Yes, Father,' Ardyn promptly replied, as though he had been waiting for this the whole time. '... Yes, Father,' Somnus followed suit but with less confidence than Ardyn.

...

And so the two brothers boarded a Chocobo carriage the next day along with their Father on a trip down to a remote village in the outskirts of Insomnia; a village that the Oracle reported had the greatest amount of infected.

'Longwythe...' the King muttered as he limped off the carriage at the village. Ardyn eagerly hopped off after him.

Somnus followed behind Ardyn and the first sight that greeted him was the numerous people gathered around to greet the King. They were mostly kneeling on the ground and cowering before his Father. Some of them were covered in dark hoods from head to toe even though it was bright and sunny.

'May I speak to a representative?' the King asked, suppressing a cough.

A thin man with sunken cheeks stepped forward. 'Your Majesty King Izunia, I am Herion, Chief of Longwythe Village. It is an honor to have you here.'

King Izunia nodded in acknowledgement and Herion continued. 'If we may speak inside, Your Majesty. I'm afraid some of us cannot take the light.'

Herion led the way to his house, the biggest in the village, although not any bigger than Somnus's own room. Once inside, Herion called over one of the hooded villagers. 'Your Majesty, this is what we're dealing with.'

'The hooded villager removed his hood to reveal his face, half of it black and vile with miasma oozing out of it. Somnus jerked his head back in shock and even the King could not suppress a wince.

'This is a late stage Starcourge,' Herion explained. 'Not even the Oracle can save him, unfortunately. The only thing Her Holiness could do was ease his pain. And when the time comes, we must kill him before he becomes a full-fledged daemon, lest he cause more casualties.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' the King said, solemnly.

'Your Majesty, is there no way at all to rid this plague?' Herion asked. 'Is the prophecy of the Chosen King true? Will the Prince save us when the time comes?' Herion turned towards Ardyn with a longing in his eyes, as though he dared not hope for too much.

Before Izunia or Ardyn could answer, however, the main door crashed open and another hooded man appeared. His hood, however, revealed half a daemonic head with what resembled a Behemoth horn at its side; and wild inhuman eyes. His arm, too, was large, black and claw-like and the man brandished it like a weapon. Somnus could hear screams from the villagers waiting outside the Chief's house.

'Where is the Promised King!?' the man roared. Somnus immediately summoned his weapon, ready to take down the rampaging creature, but Ardyn stepped in front of him.

'I am the Promised King,' Ardyn declared, stretching his hand out towards the half-daemon. 'Let me help you.'

The creature roared again but before he could do anything, Ardyn had taken his monstrous hand in his own. Miraculously, his hand glowed with soft golden light, just as the Oracle's always did whenever she healed people. Taking this as a cue, Ardyn reenacted the Oracle's prayers. 'Blessed stars of life and light,' he pronounced these words carefully and forcefully, 'deliver us from darkness' blight...'

The golden light enveloped the creature's daemonic half. Somnus looked on with eyes wide open in disbelief, as did his Father and the many villagers watching from the doorway. When the light had dispersed, all that was left of the creature, was a regular man, frail but very much alive.

For a good few seconds, nobody could say a word. Until finally the village exploded with cheers. 'All hail the Promised King,' they chanted, on and on. One by one, the hooded figures threw themselves by Ardyn's feet, begging 'the Holy One', 'the Savior' to cure them.

Somnus watched, shaking, as Ardyn smiled and worked his magic to cure them. So this is the power of the Chosen King... he thought, half disappointed, half awed.

...

'But this is my calling, Father,' Ardyn exclaimed, his voice ringing throughout the halls of the throne room.

'I don't like the idea, Ardyn,' his Father replied. 'You have performed an incredible miracle, one that not even Galen herself could perform. You don't know what the side effects are.'

'There can be no side effects!' Ardyn indignantly replied. 'Everything was preordained, wasn't it? Didn't the Draconian tell Galen that?'

'I have a bad feeling about this,' Izunia shook his head. 'Besides, who's going to take over my royal duties if you're gone? I'm not getting any younger and protecting the Crystal sure takes a toll on my health.'

'Somnus can help,' Ardyn suggested with a little less certainty.

'But he's not the King!' Izunia retorted. Somnus who had been watching quietly the whole time, shifted awkwardly.

'He knows what needs to be done,' Ardyn said. 'Don't you, little bro?'

'Don't...' Somnus began. Ardyn turned around to face his little brother, surprised by the hint of danger in Somnus's tone.

'What do you mean?' Ardyn asked.

'Don't... Don't you dare treat me like some back up plan!' Somnus lashed out at him. 'I'm not some tool who can help you rule the country while you go around, travelling the world, currying favor with the commoners.'

'Is that what you think of me?' Ardyn's tone rose to greet Somnus's. 'That I'm doing this for my own gain!?'

'What else could it be!?' Somnus marched up to his brother, their faces inches apart. 'Mother is dead and Father is gravely old and sick. He needs you and the people need their King!'

'They need their Savior!' Ardyn retorted.

'Savior!?' Somnus scoffed. 'That's how you think of yourself. Some angel appointed by the Hexatheon.'

'Oh, how you mock me,' Ardyn sneered. 'You, of all people, wanted more than anything to be the Chosen King. Don't you think I don't know that!?'

'What does it matter what I want?' Somnus replied, his face turned a little paler. 'We're talking about what you have to do.'

'I have to complete my royal duties,' Ardyn said, 'and the way I see it, my royal duties are to my people, and therefore eradicate Starscourge. Besides, isn't that what the Chosen King is for!?'

'Well the gods didn't say you've gotta travel the world and heal people one by one, didn't they?' Somnus retaliated.

'How would you know what the Gods wanted?' Ardyn spat back. 'They didn't say anything to you!'

'As if they said anything to you!' Somnus replied.

'Enough!' Izunia bellowed before Ardyn could retaliate further. The elderly King, massaged his forehead as he sat on the throne, his chair overshadowing his frail figure.

Ardyn shook his head and quietly said, 'It's something you'd never understand, seeing as you'd never be King.'

Somnus threw one last venomous glare at his brother before storming off. ...


	2. Chapter 2

'You can leave the papers on my desk,' Somnus said, not taking his eyes off the window.

His messenger placed the stack of paper on Somnus's study desk, took a bow and headed back for the door. Before he left, however, he turned around once more and said, 'Your Highness, I have some information about your brother, if you are interested.'

Somnus did not reply. The messenger continued, with a tinge of hesitation in his voice. 'He has travelled to Altissia recently where he has cured at least sixty people. The people are very grateful and has sent gifts to the palace addressed to Prince Ardyn. Not just from Altissia but worldwide.'

'You aren't telling me anything new,' Somnus finally spoke up, gruffly.

'Pardon, Your Highness?' the messenger looked rather confused.

'Was there any piece of new information that you've just told me?' Somnus turned around to face the now shaking messenger. 'Ardyn healing the people, Ardyn heralded as "the Savior", "the Chosen King", "Angel", blah blah…Was there anything new about that?'

'I-I'm sorry, Your Highness,' the messenger cowered. 'I didn't mean to…'

'If you're ever going to mention Ardyn again, it'd better be to tell me when the hell he's going to return to Insomnia,' Somnus barked and dismissed the pale messenger with a wave of his hand.

…

'Father,' Somnus tiptoed in just as a team of doctors scurried out of the King's bedroom, leaving the father and son in privacy.

King Izunia coughed. 'My son… Has the kind doctor told you…?' he choked on his own words.

Somnus bit his lips and nodded succinctly.

'I have two wishes,' Izunia said. 'One is to see the world being rid of Starscourge. And the other, to see my two sons growing into fine rulers.'

Somnus felt a tear rolled down his cheek. 'Father…' he almost pleaded.

'Ardyn is well on his way to fulfilling my first wish for me,' Izunia continued. 'Although I will never see it. And you Somnus… you've grown to be someone I can be very proud of.'

Somnus walked up to his father's bedside and took the thin wrinkled hand in his own, without saying a word.

'These past ten years,' Izunia continued, 'you have ruled the country in my stead… With Ardyn out there, and with my sick and deteriorating body… I have placed a great burden upon you, my boy…'

'Father…' Somnus choked. 'Please don't…'

Izunia shook his head. 'I'm at my limits,' he said. 'I cannot wait for Ardyn to return, but the least I could do is to hold on until I've said my piece to you… I'm proud of you… my son. Help your brother complete his destiny… and walk tall…'

As he said his final words, the old King's eyes closed and his hand sunk into Somnus's palm. Somnus could no longer stop the tears from flooding out and his agonizing scream filled the air of Insomnia Palace.

…

'There you go,' the redheaded man let go of the middle-aged woman's hands. The woman's eyes sparkled at the sight of her hand, which seconds ago had been black and malicious, was now completely cured.

'Th-Thank you so much, Your Highness!' she gushed, unable to take her eyes off her now normal hands. 'T-This means so much…'

'It's my duty and my honor,' Ardyn replied. The woman gave a bow and ran to hug her ecstatic kids and the crowd cheered.

'That's it for today, I guess,' Ardyn said again as he calmed the cheering crowd. 'We'll continue again tomorrow.'

Ever so slowly, the crowd dispersed into the multitude of alleyways in Altissia, but not before a number of them rushed up to Ardyn, wanting to shake hands with him and telling him how grateful they were. With much difficulty, Ardyn removed himself from his remaining fan girls and staggered into the nearest alleyway.

'Ever the celebrity, huh?' a voice greeted him. Ardyn turned around to face a black-haired man, leaning against the wall of said alleyway.

'Somnus!' Ardyn exclaimed in excitement and pulled his brother in for a hug.

Somnus smiled as he patted his brother on his back. 'Good to see you, big bro.'

'This calls for a celebration!' Ardyn declared, letting go of his hug and slinging one arm over his brother's shoulders. 'We're going drinking tonight!'

His brother sighed, but nevertheless replied, 'I don't see why not.'

'Not that you have a choice,' Ardyn said. 'Altissia never sleeps, so we can party all night long. There's a floating restaurant nearby here that I'd recommend you too.'

'Lead the way,' Somnus replied in a resigned tone.

…

'And, and do you remember when we tricked Governess Ratchell and escaped to the city?' Ardyn

exclaimed, waving his glass of beer.

'How could I forget?' Somnus replied, sipping his own glass, 'Mother went nuts after that and grounded us for a whole month. No supper and no dessert too for a month. Can you believe that?'

'That was excruciating…' Ardyn admitted, chuckling. 'And Father went "serves you right" on us…'

Somnus's face immediately turned dark at the mention of their Father. He remained silent and gulped down his beer.

'Say… How's Father…?' Ardyn asked quietly, noticing the change in Somnus's face.

Somnus didn't look back at him. Instead he stared at the center of the table. 'He's… passed…' he whispered after a few seconds.

Ardyn gasped. 'How…?' he croaked.

'His time was up,' Somnus said with great difficulty, 'his strength depleted and his health failed him.'

'Did he say anything…?' Ardyn asked.

'He wanted you to save the world, basically,' Somnus replied. 'And wanted me to help.'

Ardyn gulped down his beer without saying a word. Clearly, it was hard for him to process.

'Which is why I'm here,' Somnus said. 'You need to return to Insomnia and ascend the throne. Izunia needs her King.'

Ardyn downed the final quarter of his beer and stared down on the table without a word for a quiet moment until he finally said, 'I understand… let's head back to Insomnia.'

…

'It's good to have you back, Ardyn,' Galen, the Oracle said as she stepped into the throne room with Gentiana following behind her.

'It's good to be back, Aunt Galen,' Ardyn replied. 'Good to see you, too.' He stood at the bottom of the steps in the magnificent throne room, accompanied by Somnus and about a dozen Crownsguard members.

Galen gave him a gentle smile. 'We'll catch up later,' she said, 'for now, business first. Regarding your ascension… the King needs to undergo a series of rituals before he is to ascend the throne.'

Somnus saw that Ardyn's face had turned serious as he listened to the Oracle's words carefully.

'First,' Galen said, 'you are to go to Steyliff Grove and win over the Old Kings' support. Ancient kings since the era of Solheim had been buried there and the place is rife with enchantments. You are to be accompanied by one person of your choice and a representative of the Oracle to watch over the ritual. Gentiana here will accompany you as a representative.'

'Then I ask that Somnus aid me in this quest,' Ardyn declared, turning to his brother. Somnus nodded.

'Very well,' Galen continued. 'Once you have completed this task, then you will receive the Crystal's blessing in a sacred ritual, whereby you will receive the Crystal's power. Once it's done, you may harness that power at the cost of your own strength. You and the Crystal will essentially "become one".'

'Understood,' Ardyn asserted.

'Then go,' Galen said, 'may the Crystal light your path.'

…

'So this is where the Old Kings are buried,' Ardyn mused as he, Somnus and Gentiana marched through the gates to Steyliff Grove in the dark of night. The path was flooded with water from the nearby Vesperpool. 'Odd design choice,' he remarked.

'The people of Solheim believed that water represents death, just as fire represents life,' Gentiana explained.

'Will you be all right…?' Somnus looked at Gentiana, concerned.

'Don't judge a book by its cover,' Gentiana calmly replied. 'I'm very much able to defend myself.'

'There're monsters lurking in here, right?' Ardyn asked.

'Daemons,' Gentiana corrected him. 'They like the dark and will spawn in such areas, including tombs of Kings.'

'Sucks to be our ancestors, huh?' Ardyn said as he swaggered ahead. 'To have daemon-infested tombs.'

'Starscourge did not exist back then,' Gentiana explained, deftly hopping over some rubble. 'No reason for them to worry about daem-'

'Watch out!' Somnus cried out as some Imps began descending from the ceiling.

'Let me take care of that,' Ardyn stepped forward. He raised his hands in front of him, aimed at the pesky little daemons and wisps of red light began emanating from the Imps' bodies and into Ardyn's hands. Then as suddenly as they came, the Imps burst in a flash of red light.

'How...?' Somnus asked whereas Gentiana frowned disapprovingly.

'Daemons are the same as Starscourge, essentially,' Ardyn said with a smug grin on his face. 'If I can cure the plague, I can get rid of daemons just as easily.'

Somnus and Gentiana, however, look unconvinced. They continued to stare at Ardyn in disbelief.

'Well, no time to lose,' Ardyn said, reminding them. 'Shall we?'

...

The trio descended into the main hall, brighter than the rest of the rooms thanks to the eerie ceiling of water high up above, for which even Gentiana could offer no explanation.

'Seems like the people of Solheim were even more sophisticated than we thought,' Somnus remarked as he stared up at the ceiling for the umpteenth time.

Ardyn, however, was distracted by the two rows of statues on either side of the hall. The statues were dressed in regal armors, fit for royalty and the ripples of water on the ceiling created distortions in the light source that made the statues seem alive.

'Are these... the kings...?' He asked as he touched the first statue.

At his touch, the statue formed cracks which spread as quick as lightning across the whole figure, and from beneath this cracks shone a bright red light. With a blinding flash of red, the statue was gone and in its place, the same armored figure but in the form of a red apparition.

The figure brandished his axe and swung it at Ardyn. Ardyn, taken by surprise barely managed to dodge it.

'Ye who seek to be King,' the figure's ghastly voice echoed through the whole building, 'prove yer worth.'

Ardyn summoned his sword and lunged forward at the armored figure only to be parried by the King's axe. Somnus and Gentiana too summoned their sword and katana respectively and rushed forward. The King threw Ardyn back and with one swing of his axe countered both Somnus's and Gentiana's blows.

Ardyn, however, was far from being thrown off the field. He threw his blade at the apparition and landed another series of slashes at the King, each slash faster than the one before. Taking this as his cue, Somnus plunged his own sword down the figure's side. With his movements halted by the pierce, Gentiana made a horizontal slash at his legs, followed right after by Ardyn smashing his head with his sword.

Another flash of light and all that was left of the Old King was a red apparition of the axe he was using. The axe flew up before swooping down straight towards Ardyn's chest. And before anyone could stop it, it vanished into Ardyn.

'What... was that?' Somnus asked.

Ardyn stared blankly at his hands. 'Looks like... I received his blessing...' he muttered.

'Heads up,' Gentiana warned. Somnus turned his gaze away from Ardyn just in time to see a second statue come to live.

'You've got to be kidding me!' He exclaimed, readying his sword.

...

The apparition swung his scythe again, which Somnus blocked at the last second. He was panting hard and so was his brother and Gentiana. This was the thirteenth apparition they encountered, back to back.

'How long... is this...?' Somnus grunted as he shoved the scythe away. Gentiana swooped in with her katana but another swing of the King's scythe threw her across the room. She rolled around and groaned in pain but was clearly having difficulties getting back up.

'Graaahhhh!' Somnus roared as he jabbed his sword forward at the armored figure's side.

Taking this as his cue, Ardyn aimed his sword at the apparition's head and charged forward, but the same trick that had worked on previous kings did not so much as faze this one. With another swing of his scythe, the King landed its blade into Ardyn's abdomen.

'Ardyn!' Somnus shouted as the figure flung Ardyn away before landing another blow with the scythe's hilt into Somnus's stomach. Somnus bent over in pain, but the King was only interested in Ardyn. He slowly walked over to a struggling Ardyn with his scythe readied.

Ardyn's whole body shook as he tried standing back up. He could see the red apparition drawing nearer and nearer out of the corner of his eyes. And once he is right in front of Ardyn, the raised his scythe.

The blade of the scythe fell fast upon Ardyn. But Ardyn turned around and stopped the blade with what appeared to be a vile, black tentacle protruding from his arm. Even despite the tears in his eyes, Somnus knew there was no mistaking it — it was the appendage of a daemon.

With untold powers, Ardyn flung the King backwards, smashing him hard against an opposite wall. He then walked over towards the King, calm with a slight swagger, reminiscent of his actions when they first entered Steyliff Grove. As though he was never caught up in a series of battles.

Ardyn stood in front of the King and without warning, multiple daemon appendages appeared out of his body and stabbed the apparition again and again, until the figure's light dissolved in the darkness. The scythe he left behind did the same thing as all the other weapons other kings left behind for Ardyn — flew straight into his chest.

'Ardyn...' Somnus groaned as he pulled himself to his feet.

As Ardyn turned around, he collapsed onto his knees. He was back to his old self, no daemon appendages, but tired, injured and worn out. 'Somnus... we... did we complete the task?' He asked.

Somnus kept his distance. 'Yeah... we did...' he answered hesitantly.

'Good,' Ardyn replied with a smile.

...

'There is nothing wrong with him, Somnus,' Galen said in an exasperated tone.

'I know what I saw!' Somnus replied indignantly.

'Gentiana saw nothing,' Galen said.

'Gentiana was knocked out!' Somnus retorted.

'You can't be sure of what you saw in that condition!' Galen said, 'I saw the three of you as you exit Steyliff Grove. You were in terrible condition. One might hallucinate, it's understandable. Besides, I've never heard of daemon appendages being hidden before. If they're infected, it'll show.'

Somnus sighed and stormed out of the room.

...

Somnus fixed his suit and shifted his weight from the right leg to the other. The Crystal room was stuffy and imposing. Furthermore, the lights had been turned off for the Ascension Ceremony and the only source of light was the bluish-purple glow of the huge Crystal.

He looked around to see the Oracle fussing over details with Gentiana as she tried to smooth out a few creases on the Oracle's ceremonial robe. He saw a dozen of his most important ministers chatting in a low voice and finally he also saw members of the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive standing guard in a professional manner.

Ardyn, the man of honor, has yet to enter the room.

 _Once this ritual is over, Ardyn will be King_ , Somnus thought. If he were to describe the situation it would be "bittersweet".

'Get ready,' Gentiana nudged him as she positioned herself beside him. Somnus fixed his standing position and straightened his back.

The door flung open to reveal Ardyn, clad in regal black robes adorned with gold. His hair had been smoothed back for the occasion and Somnus thought he had never seen his brother looking anymore kingly.

The Crystal stood in the middle of the large circular room with the Oracle positioned beside it, ready to initiate the Ceremony. And Ardyn marched up the between the two rows of people on either side, towards both Oracle and Crystal. When Ardyn finally reached the Oracle, she took his hand and raised her own towards the Crystal.

'Oh blessed Crystal, gift of the Gods,' Galen declared, 'I bring to you today the King of Light. May he receive your blessings so that he can save our star and lead our people away from the darkness.'

Galen then raised Ardyn's hand towards the Crystal.

'O Crystal! Grant me your blessings!' Ardyn shouted.

The blueish light from the Crystal momentarily faded but, within split-seconds, shone brighter than ever, blinding everyone. Somnus raised his arm to block out the light. And by some unknown force, much like a gust of wind, Ardyn was thrust to the other side of the room, towards the entrance from whence he came.

Somnus slowly lowered his hands. He saw Ardyn clambering up with much difficulty. But when Ardyn finally looked up, his face was pale and ghastly; his eyes black and irises yellow; and black miasma ran down his cheeks.

People began to scream and they quickly scurried away. The Kingsglaive and Crownsguards drew their weapons and stood between Ardyn and the others, but even they had looks of apprehension etched onto their faces. Somnus stood frozen in his spot, as did Gentiana and Galen.

Ardyn raised his hands and felt his face but he found that his hands too had became a reflection of his face — pale and ghastly, stained with miasma. Horrified, he let out a roar that sent a shockwave across the room.

The shockwave became the Kingsglaives and Crownsguards cue to start attacking. They raised their weapons and charged forward towards Ardyn. A cornered Ardyn released the same black daemon tentacles that Somnus had seen at Steyliff Grove. At least six emerged from Ardyn's back and pierced through members of the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard with utmost ease.

Realizing that he could no longer stand by and watch as his guards were slaughtered in front of him, Somnus summoned his sword and charged straight at Ardyn. As the pair clashed, blade against tentacle, Somnus saw the faintest glint of humanity in Ardyn's inhuman yellow eyes. And for a brief moment, he was taken aback by the reality that he was fighting to kill his own brother.

That split-second of lost concentration gave Ardyn the chance to push him back. He flung Somnus back with a heave of his tentacle and Somnus barely landed on his feet some metres away. Ardyn, however, did not pursue this further and headed straight out of the door behind him.

'After him!' The leader of the Kingsglaive hollered and the surviving royal guards all took off after Ardyn.

Somnus stood rooted to his spot as the chaos ensued. Medical personnel were called in to attend to the fallen guards. And the Oracle collapsed onto the floor in shock, her face pale enough to match her robes.

After that, everything was a blur.


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

'You wished to see me?' Somnus asked as he entered the room.

Galen sat on a sofa, attended by only Gentiana. Her face pale and Somnus thought that she looked about ten times older than she did at the beginning of the Ceremony. Her frowns and creases amplified her wrinkles and made her age apparent. She was by no means young and it was only then that it dawned over Somnus.

Galen nodded and motioned for Somnus to take a seat on the armchair opposite her. 'Yes, my boy,' she muttered, almost inaudibly.

Somnus sat down without a word, waiting for her to initiate the conversation.

Galen took a sip of water from her chalice before she began. 'I… I must offer you my apologies before anything,' she said, her voice shaking. 'You warned me… I did not heed it… And for that I apologize.'

Somnus shook his head. 'It's ok…' he muttered.

'It is not okay,' Galen said, 'the Chosen King himself… a daemon… What has become of this world… have the Gods truly forsaken us?'

Somnus shrugged. 'You can communicate with them. Have you?'

Galen massaged her temples. 'I… I did try. But there was no reply. This happens sometimes, but at a time like this…'

Somnus remained quiet. He did not know what to do or what to expect out of her.

'There can only be one way out of this,' Galen finally said. 'You need to ascend the throne.'

Somnus stared at her. 'W-What?'

'Izunia cannot function without a King,' Galen said. 'And at times of peril like this, the people need a leader to look up to, more than ever.'

'What if the Gods don't accept me?' Somnus asked quietly.

'You'll find out if they accept you,' Galen replied, 'when you complete the challenges at Steyliff Grove and receive the light of the Crystal.'

'I will not go through the rites based on such vague directions,' Somnus asserted. 'You, as the Oracle, are meant to advise us, Kings of Izunia, what to do according to the Gods' will. If you can't give us an answer…' he stopped halfway.

Galen looked downcast. 'I must admit… whatever happened with Ardyn was my failure as an Oracle. But if we were to stand any chance of reversing this situation, then it can only start with you.'

Somnus remained quiet for a little while. 'All right,' he finally said, 'but I'm going in there alone this time.'

This time, Gentiana spoke up. 'But the dangers in Steyliff Grove!' She exclaimed. 'We barely made it out alive the last time with the three of us!'

'If the Gods approve of me, they'll help, won't they?' Somnus replied, coldly. 'If I have to prove myself to them, then that's what I'll do.'

'If you so wish,' Galen said after a long pause.

…

'Somnus,' Gentiana called out after him as he ascended the steps to Steyliff Grove.

Somnus turned around as she rushed up the steps after him. 'What is it?'

'I know it's hard on you,' she began, a frown adorning her beautiful face, 'you don't have to do this alone.'

'I know,' Somnus said. 'But I want to. Otherwise, I won't be able to get it off my chest, you see.' Gentiana remained quiet and waited for him to go on. 'Ever since I was young, I was always annoyed at how people always compared me to Ardyn. The way they looked at me… they don't even treat me as a spare. No… the title of the "Chosen King" was not passed down just like that. So even if it was just my own selfish desire, even if the Gods won't crown me "Chosen King" after this… I want to prove to them that I'm just as capable, if not more so, than Ardyn.'

Gentiana did not reply.

'Don't get me wrong,' Somnus said, 'I don't hate Ardyn. If anything, I love him. He's my brother. But I… I just want to prove that the Gods can be wrong.'

'They've already proven themselves wrong,' Gentiana said gently. 'With what happened to Ardyn… They didn't foresee this coming.'

Somnus smiled. 'I didn't expect such a statement to come from you.'

'I learn from my mistakes,' Gentiana said with a chuckle.

'Well, I'd better get going,' Somnus said.

'Hold on,' Gentiana said as she opened her arms and summoned forth a blade. 'The Oracle wants you to have this,' she said as she handed the blade to him. 'Forged by Solheim, this blade has served the Old Kings of Solheim for ages. At this dark moment in mankind's history, it's time the sword served a King.'

'You don't know if I'll pass the rites,' Somnus said, warily eyeing the blade.

'If you don't pass this rite, then mankind will be finished,' Gentiana said. 'The Chosen King of Light will become the Chosen King of Darkness and Starscourge will spread only further and consume the world.'

'Did the Oracle say that?' Somnus asked.

'Strangely, she didn't,' Gentiana said, softly. 'For years I've wanted to hear the voice of the Gods, and I've finally heard _her_ whisper…'

Somnus finally took the blade from Gentiana but was taken aback when his hands touched hers — they were icy cold.

'Gentiana…?'

'When we meet again, I may not be me anymore,' Gentiana said, a single tear rolled down her beautiful face. 'Farewell, my King.'

…

Somnus walked down the same hall within Steyliff Grove that he had been with Gentiana and Ardyn only days prior. The statues, however, were not there to greet him. Instead, a strange figure stood on one end of the hall, with a sword in hand. The figure was clad in black armor and had sword-like wings and a dragon's tail. He looked as though he had been expecting Somnus.

' _I have been waiting for you_ ,' the figure spoke in a strange language that Somnus has never heard before and yet could bizarrely understand.

'The… Draconian…?' Somnus asked in disbelief.

' _My name is Bahamut, the Draconian, Bladekeeper, leader of the Astrals,_ ' the figure replied.

Somnus let out a hollow laugh. 'So the leader of the Gods himself had come before me,' he seethed. 'Are you playing us for fools!?'

 _'What happened with your brother was unfortunate,_ ' Bahamut said. _'He was overconfident in his abilities and his calling. His arrogance was his downfall.'_

'You call that arrogance?' Somnus barked. 'He risked his life to save countless people! And when he fell from grace, you abandoned him!'

' _The prophecy never told him to absorb the Starscourge into his own body,_ ' Bahamut replied, indifferent to Somnus's anger. ' _He went ahead and decided that all on his own.'_

'Then tell me what you had in plan for him!' Somnus demanded.

' _He was meant to lay down his life and purify the world with the Crystal's powers_ ,' Bahamut said. _'Only then can the Starscourge be eradicated. What he did was only scratching the surface.'_

Somnus was taken aback. He shook his head in disbelief, '…Who created that prophecy anyway? Who decided that this was the only way to heal the world? What in the world is Starscourge in the first place?'

 _'I take it that you're familiar with the Great War of Old?'_ Bahamut asked to which Somnus wordlessly nodded. _'When we took down Ifrit, the Infernian, we burned his body at the Rock of Ravatogh. However, we did not foresee that this very act would release the Starscourge into the world. It was a culmination of Ifrit's irrevocable hate towards mankind and the simple fact that his body was that of a God's and therefore possess divine self-defence mechanisms.'_

' _Knowing the damage that we have caused to the world_ ,' Bahamut continued, ' _we accumulated the light of Eos, the world, and created a Crystal out of it. To protect the remaining light of the world and to hone its powers, so that one day, when combined with the blood of the King, the resulting power will be great enough to even surpass that of the Six and cleanse the world. This is the light that cannot be reached by Starscourge, no matter what, and therefore the inextinguishable hope left for humanity.'_

Somnus was silent for a few moments, before finally saying again, 'and what would you have me do…?'

' _Prove your worth_ ,' Bahamut replied. ' _Ascend as King. Defeat the Accursed. And Establish a new line of rulers to protect the Crystal, until the True King arrives_.'

'So you're saying that I cannot eradicate Starscourge because I'm not the True King?' Somnus let out another sarcastic laugh.

' _You will be remembered by history all the same as founder of a new era_ ,' Bahamut said. ' _The True King is chosen by the Crystal, not us Gods.'_

'What era…?'

 _'If you defeat the Accursed, you will bring in a new era of dawn and halt the advancement of Starscourge_ ,' Bahamut said. ' _So come now, let your test begin!_ '

Somnus drew the blade that Gentiana had given him and blade-warped towards Bahamut. Bahamut countered the attack but Somnus was quick to launch another blade-warp which hit Bahamut's shoulder. Bahamut retaliated by spreading his wing and taking off to the high ceilings with Somnus still holding on to him.

Somnus jumped off Bahamut's shoulder and warped towards a nearby balcony. Bahamut aimed straight at him with his sword readied. At the last second, he leapt up, dodged Bahamut's sword and climbed atop it, striking a blow at Bahamut's head.

Bahamut fell backwards, but with a mighty flap of his wings, managed to regain composure and this time, summoned more swords which circled around him. Somnus clicked his tongue and evaded the swishing blades with greater difficulty. Just as he leapt out of the swords' reach, he felt a cold chill from the blade in his hand. Acting out of instinct, he swung the blade towards Bahamut and a gust of cold blizzard attacked Bahamut.

This took Bahamut by surprise. The chilly snowstorm froze his sword-like wings and he came crashing down. Seeing his chance, Somnus threw down his blade at the fallen Bahamut and blade-warped all the way down to the bottom, dealing significant damage to the Draconian.

' _Shiva_ …' the Draconian called out.

Somnus turned around and found Gentiana at the end of the hallway, looking calm and serene. But there was something different about her, and something odd. For one, she did not look as though she was a mortal who had just fought through multiple floors of demons within the dungeon. And for the other, she was walking with her eyes closed.

 _'So you have decided…'_ the Draconian said.

Gentiana walked past Somnus, barely acknowledging his presence and in the blink of an eye she transformed into the blue-skinned, pale Goddess of Ice, Shiva.

 _'The other three have decided,_ ' Shiva addressed Bahamut, ' _that we'll stake the fate of the star on this man.'_

Bahamut stood up. 'Then so be it. He has proven his worth.' He then turned towards Somnus. ' _Take the vow, King of men. That you'll fell the Accursed and delay the scourge that blights our star.'_

Somnus turned his gaze down and nodded ever so briefly. Bahamut, satisfied with his resolve, sent apparitions of his blades down forwards him and one by one, the fourteen blades dissolved into his chest, just as the Old Kings' did Ardyn. When he tried calling forth his newfound powers, the swords of light circled him before forming the visage of wings reminiscent of Bahamut's.

' _Go forth then,_ ' Bahamut declared, ' _and bring back hope unto our world.'_

A single tear rolled down Somnus's cheek.

...

Somnus raised his hand towards the Crystal, a little hesitantly at first. He did not know what to expect after what happened with Ardyn, but the Crystal's warm light engulfed him ever so gently. He felt warmth in his chest. Is this the Crystal's blessing?

Galen looked on, wide eyed with wonder beside him. The Crystal's message was clear; this is the new King.

And when the ritual was complete, Somnus raised his blade to the deafening cheers of the crowd in the room.

...


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Years passed, and every man, woman, children in the world was tasked with looking for Ardyn. Parents always reminded their children to keep a look out for the "big bad man" and the Crownsguard was tasked with the never ending hunt for their former Prince. Without Ardyn, however, the world steadily grew darker, and the number of people infected by Starscourge continued to rise.

'Your Majesty, we believe that the only way to put an end to Starscourge is to find... your brother,' the adviser said during the meeting. He hesitated to mention Ardyn's name, unsure of what to refer to him as.

'That much I know,' King Somnus replied. 'I have spared no expenses in the search. I have even involved the Oracle and Tenebrae into this.'

'Can the Gods not help us in this search?' The adviser said hopefully.

'Unfortunately, no,' Somnus replied with a sigh. 'Ardyn's light is all but gone from this world. He is, in the eyes of the Gods, no more than a regular daemon and therefore indistinguishable.'

The adviser's shoulders slumped. 'Oh,' he said, 'did the High Messenger tell you that?'

'Yes, Gentiana told me that,' Somnus replied, getting impatient. 'If there's nothing else of importance then this meeting is adjourned.'

Somnus left the room in the midst of the sound of hustling papers. As he hurried across the hallway back to his chambers, a glaive called out to him.

'Your Majesty, I received word that a man who resembles Prince Ardyn was last seen entering a tower in the Fallgrove,' the glaive reported.

'A tower in Fallgrove?' Somnus asked quizzically. 'Is there a tower in Fallgrove? Wasn't there only ruins?'

'Yes, sire,' the glaive replied. 'I thought so too, but the angler who saw it swore that it was a tower that he entered. Unfortunately, we have not confirmed his accounts as we deemed it more important to let you know first.'

'The Costlemark Tower,' a mysterious voice suddenly sounded behind Somnus.

Somnus jerked backwards and found Gentiana walking towards the pair.

'Gentiana...' Somnus said, stroking his chest, 'could you please stop doing that?'

Gentiana, however, ignored Somnus apparent shock and instead continued with her point regarding the mysterious Costlemark Tower. 'An ancient tower was once built by Solheim. They believed that this tower could reach the heavens and therefore grant them omniscience greater than that of the Gods. It was ravaged by Ifrit during the Great War of Old but it's magic remained — dark magic. Now, it's a breeding ground for daemons and can only be accessed when the sun falls.'

'Well since you mentioned that,' the glaive said, 'the angler did say that he couldn't see clearly because it was already nightfall.'

'Ready twenty of the best glaives,' Somnus told the glaive, without so much as a pause. 'We set out at dusk.'

...

Costlemark Tower emitted a strange red glow in the dark of night. And even though it was clearly nothing more than ruins, it seemed inhabited. Something about this tower felt ominous and devilish to Somnus. _Fitting for what Ardyn had become_ , he thought.

He walked up the front door first, followed by the glaives. And upon the entrance, he saw steps leading down.

'Is it stupid to expect a tower's steps to go up?' One of the glaives chuckled nervously.

Somnus did not say a word and entered.

The steps leading down was quiet at first. At least until it opened up to a large hallway, infested with countless daemons. The daemons attacked them immediately, like moths drawn to a flame. Somnus and the glaives drew their weapons and begun felling daemons.

...

Somnus could no longer tell how long he had been inside the Tower. The hallways had twisted into a mess of a maze, undecipherable with its ancient languages and symbolism. The glaives were exhausted from the endless fighting and worst of all, they had to divide themselves into smaller groups because the mazes were too small for twenty glaives and one King to fight in.

At every corner, danger lurked. And it was not until Somnus had fought off a huge horde of Red Giant daemons that he finally saw what looked to be a way out of this madness.

He descended an elevator with five of his men into a strangely futuristic looking room, unfitting for an ancient tower. At the bottom of the elevator, he saw Ardyn and the rest of his men, lying lifeless on the ground.

'Claude! Rost! Varl!' Somnus called out for his fallen comrades.

'Well, well dear brother,' Ardyn sneered, his face did not look the slightest bit daemonic. It was the same face as the brother Somnus remembered. 'How long I've waited for you... and to think that you're more concerned about some glaives than me. Oh, how you hurt me...'

'Ardyn...' Somnus seethed.

Ardyn smiled, a cold and inhumane smile, lacking any warmth that he once might have had. 'What a reunion... let's not let anybody get in our way.'

With a wave of his hand, blades from the iron giants pierced through the remaining glaives' abdomens before the giants themselves appeared out of miasma on the ground.

'No!' Somnus screamed.

'So tell me, Somnus,' Ardyn said, pacing back and forth. 'What did you come here to do?'

Somnus gritted his teeth and his face turned scarlet with rage. 'I came here to take you down and restore light onto the world.'

Ardyn chuckled before breaking into a maniacal laughter. 'All hail the new King,' he scowled. 'The new Chosen King to banish us from darkness.'

Somnus, however, was no longer interested in talking. He summoned his blade and warp-striked towards Ardyn, being blocked at the last second by Ardyn's own blade, the same apparition that Somnus saw Ardyn receive years before at Steyliff Grove.

Ardyn parried his blow and summoned forth all thirteen of his arms, such that the red weapons now circled around him. 'I still have the Old Kings' blessings, apparently,' he reminded Somnus in a sarcastic tone.

This time, Somnus too summoned forth the blades he received from Bahamut, such that they formed wings behind his back. 'And I have the Gods',' he told Ardyn.

Ardyn face contorted with rage as he charged foward towards Somnus. A loud clash could be heard as their blades meet.

It was a fast-paced battle, with every clash followed almost simultaneously by the next. The use of mystic weapons also allowed them to defy gravity and soon it became an airborne match filled with zipping flashes of light, both blue and red.

Ardyn was strong and merciless. Somnus could sense that he was fighting to kill. His rage was unmistakable. Every swing of his red blade, every pierce was aimed straight at Somnus's vitals. And yet, he did not summon forth daemons to kill Somnus the same way he did Somnus's glaives.

 _Pride_... Somnus surmised. Ardyn wanted to prove that he was better than Somnus. That the Gods had put their faith in the wrong person. _How ironic..._ Somnus thought, remembering his own position years back.

Somnus sent all fourteen of Bahamut's blades charging at Ardyn, which the latter deftly dodged and parried one by one as he made his way towards Somnus. With a swing of his scythe, Ardyn deflected the final Bahamut blade and attacked Somnus directly, which Somnus blocked with his own blade.

The blade in Somnus's hands glowed blue and formed ice crystals around itself and Ardyn's scythe and hands. Ardyn's eyes widened in surprise as he struggled to break free, but it was too late. With Ardyn caught in the trap, Somnus summoned forth Bahamut's blades once more and pierced his own brother with all of them at once.

Somnus released his hold on Ardyn, but Ardyn himself was no longer able to move. His whole body had been impaled by fourteen blades; left, right and centre. Blood trickled down the edge of his mouth.

'Y-You know this won't kill me…' Ardyn choked.

'No…' Somnus acquiesced. 'But it is enough to buy us more time and light… until the True King comes.'

'You're not… the True King?' Ardyn asked.

'No…' Somnus replied quietly.

'Heh,' Ardyn couldn't help but smirk a little.

Somnus raised his blade and the visage of all six Gods appeared behind him.'Forgive me, brother' Somnus whispered. 'That I must condemn you for eternity, and let your name be forgotten from the world. That is the only way the light can be restored.'

As he swung his blade down, the apparitions of the Gods all charged towards Ardyn, creating a giant glowing orb of light and when the light had subsided, Ardyn was gone.

Instead, Bahamut stood in his place.

'You've done well,' Bahamut said to Somnus.

Somnus remained quiet and hung his head.

'He will be locked away in darkness, beneath the Citadel.' Bahamut continued. 'Our magic will keep him there until the arrival of the True King.'

'No one will know of him…' Somnus finally spoke up. 'No one will know that Ardyn Izunia is still alive. I think it's safer that way.'

Bahamut nodded in agreement. 'A new era has just begun,' he said, 'A new dynasty starts with you at its helm. Stand tall and create a new history.'

And with that, Bahamut disappeared.

…

Somnus placed flowers in front of the tomb. He stared at the words 'Ardyn Lucis Caelum' carved in white marble within the stately Mausoleum where members of the royal family are buried.

'A kind gesture, but a meaningless one,' Gentiana said, appearing without warning behind him.

'The others don't know that,' Somnus said without looking away from the tomb. 'They all thought that he died because of Starscourge.'

'You did the right thing,' Gentiana said. 'It's time for the people to start anew. Whilst Starscourge has not been eradicated yet, it will no longer spread as much. Daylight too has been restored. The people have much hope. The new Kingdom of Lucis will flourish under your rule.'

'Shiva…' Somnus whispered. 'Cursing Ardyn to a lifetime of incarceration still hurts me, and so is usurping his throne. When I look at the people, I'm happy to have saved them. But even so… Ardyn's still my brother. And he could've killed me in Costlemark Tower that day. He could've summoned the daemons to kill me as he did my glaives… And yet he didn't.'

'It was arrogance that brought him down,' Gentiana replied. 'And it was arrogance that sentenced him to his fate now.'

'I guess we have different ways of interpreting his actions.' Somnus said as he turned away from Ardyn's tomb.

'Being King comes with its own set of burdens,' Gentiana said. 'Whichever way you choose to look at it, the guilt is yours to bear. But I trust that you're strong enough. Or at the very least… she does.' She placed one hand on her chest and Somnus understood. He squeezed his eyes shut to barricade the tears.

'I take it that this is the last time we'll see each other,' Gentiana continued. 'Since the accursed had been taken care of, we, the Hexatheon, will take our leave.'

Somnus nodded. 'You can leave it to me,' he said, arching his back slightly towards Shiva before turning to leave the mausoleum. Sunlight burst in as he opened the heavy marble doors and Somnus greeted the dawn with a heavy heart filled with hope.


End file.
